Locomotive washout and refilling apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. NEIKIRK, OF LOMBARD, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application filed March 24, 1920. Serial No. 368,263.

To all whom 2'2. may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN O. NEIKIRK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Lombard, in the county of Du Page and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLoco-motive VVashout and Refilling Apparatus, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to apparatus for washing out and refillinglocomotive boilers.

The objects of the invention are to provide; an improved system in whichthe temperature of the entire blow-off (steam and water) is reduced toapproximately the boiling point while it is being discharged from theboiler; an improved system in which the blow-0tl is used to furnishl1otwater for re filling and washing out without separating theconsstituents (steam and water) of the blow-oil; improved means forcleaning the blow-off for re-use in refilling or washing out the boiler;improved means for keeping up the desired temperature in the washout andrefilling mains; and an improved apparatus for washing out and refillinglocomotive boilers.

In the drawings: Figure l is a diagram of an apparatus embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aninverted plan view of the cleaner torthe blow-off products.

The apparatus usually comprises a blowofi main 1, a washout main 5, anda refilling main 6, which extend around the roundhouse in which thelocomotives are restored to service condition. These mains are providedrespectively with drop-pipes l 5 and 6 in desired number for connectionto the blow-oil" cocks 7 of the locomotives in the several stalls of theroundhouse. As well undertsood in the art, the locomotive may beconnected to one of the drop pipes 4 of the blow-off line by a hose 8 todischarge the entire blow-oil (steam and water) from thelecomotive-boiler when it is to be refilled with fresh water or washedout. A similar hose may be used to connect the blow-oil cocks to one ofthe drop pipes 6 of the refilling line to deliver hot, clean water intothe boiler. A hose provided with a suitable nozzle for directing waterinto the boiler to wash it out, may be connected to the drop-pipes 5 ofthe refilling line.

The invention belongs to that class of washout and refilling apparatusin which the heat units of the blow-off are conserved and transferred toa body of fresh water for refilling the boiler and to a body of waterfor washing out the locomotive. It is desirable to refill the boilerwith clean water at substantially boiling temperature and to use wateras hot as it can be conveniently used in a hose (approximately 130) forwashing out the boiler and to prevent loss of the heat units of theblow-off so that an extraneous source of heat-supply will beunnecessary. In furtherance of this purpose, the blow-oft main 4 isconnected to a separating tank 9 into which the blow-oil will bedischarged under its own pressure.

To efiect a more thorough separation of the solids in suspension in, orto clean the blow-off, the terminal 10 t the pipe 1 is e bowed todischarge the water tangentially into a cylindrical tank 9 which servesas a purifier or cleaner. The swirling movement of the blow-off productscaused by this tangential delivery causes the solids in suspension,which are of greater specific gravity than the liquid, to be thrown tothe outer wall of the tank 9. The blow-off is usually under highpressure when the locomotive enters the roundhouse and it is desirableto conserve, to the fullest extent, the heat units in the blow-oif, toheat the refilling and washout water. A more thorough cleaning, orpurification of the blow-oil water can be effected when the blow-off isnot under very high pressure, and to reduce the temperature of theblow-oil", a cold water supply-pipe 11 is connected to deliver waterinto the blowotf line in transit to the tank 9 under control of athermostatic regulator 12. The cold water is heated by the blow-off andthis precipitatesalso the lime and other solids it may contain, lthuspurifying all water subsequently used for refilling. This regulator isof usual construction and adapted to automatically control the supply ofcold water so that the temperature of the blow-oil. will be reduced toapproximately 212 F ahr. which is the desired refilling temperature.This regulator may be of any desired construction, such as is shown forexample in the patent to Gale No. 831,337, September 18, 1906, to whichreference is made for a complete description. In view of the fact thatsuch regulators are well known in the art and the specific constructionthereof forms no part of my present invention, I have deemed furtherillustration unnecessary. One feature of the invention consists inreducing the temperature of the blow-off so that when 1t reaches theseparator it will be approximately 212 Fahr. This feature avoids theseparation of the blow-off steam and blowoff water for separate use andrefilling and washing out, and effects a more efficient saving of theheat units in the blow-off.

A conical baffle 13, with an opening 14 in its apex, is disposed in thetank 9. A conical deflector 15 is provided at the bottom of the tank todirect the solids to the channel between the tank side and saiddeflector so the sediment willbe collected therein and may be cleanedout through a discharge pipe 16 which is connected to said channel by aseriesof clean-out pipes 17 Purified water or clean water which does notcontain solids in suspension flows upwardly through the opening 1 1 inthe apex of the bafiie 13 and is thence directed outwardly anddownwardly by a supplemental conical baflie 19, so that any impuritiesin suspension which pass through the opening 1 1 will be depositedbetween the bafile 13 and the wall of tank 9. The impurities therecollected may be cleaned out or discharged through a pipe 20. Thepurified water reaching the top of the separator 9 flows through a pipe21 which is connected to deliver hot water at substantially 212 Fahr.through a branch pipe 22 into a tank 23 for containing a supply of cleanwater of the proper temperature for refilling the boiler. Pipe 21 isalso connected to deliver water through a branch 24 into a tank 25 forcontaining a supply of water for washing out the boiler. The waterdelivered through branch 24 into the tank 25 being at substantiallyboiling temperature is too hot to be handled in a washout hose. A pipe26 is connected to deliver cold water from the supply 11 into the streamof water passing throughthe branch pipe 21 under control of an automaticthermostic regulator 27 which is usually set to reduce the temperatureof water delivered to the tank 25 to approximately 130 or thattemperature desired for washing out the boiler.

A pump 28 receive water force it through a pipe 30 to the refilling main6. This pump is under control of an automatic pressure governor 31, aswell understood in the art. A pump 32 is connected to receive water fromthe tank 25 through pipe 33 and to force it through a pipe 34 to andthrough the washout main 5. This pump is under control of an automaticpressure governor 35.

In locomotive boiler practice, it is imporisconnected by a pipe 29 tofrom the refilling-tank 23 and tant to prevent water in the washout andrefilling lines from becoming cool so that a boiler may be refilled orwashed out without waiting for it to cool down and without danger offracturing the boiler. For this purpose, a leak or circulation pipe 35adapted for the passage of a small volume of water is provided betweenthe end of the washout main 5 and the blow-off main & and a similar pipe36 is provided between the refilling main 6 and the blow-olf main 4:.This construction utilizes the blow-01f main as a return conductor forthe water from the leak-pipes to the tank 9. A characteristic of thisconstruction is that when the blow-ofi', which is usually under highpressure, passes through the blow-ofl main 1 A it will create a suctionin the leak pipes and temporarily accelerate the flow therethrough toincrease circulation in the washout and refilling means while the boileris being emptied and in readiness for refilling or washing out theboiler. To adapt the blow-off main for this purpose, check valves 37 areprovided so that the water from the leak pipes will not escape throughthe drop pipes 6". In practice, the mains are usually overhead and it isdesirable to avoid any possibility of cold water in the drop pipes ofthe refilling and washout lines, and for this purpose valves 6 forcontrolling the supply of refilling water are disposed adjacent therefilling main and are each operable through suitable gearing by a rod 6which is extended downwardly to a point within convenient reach of anoperator between the engine stalls. For the same purpose, valves 5 forcontrolling the supply of washout water are located adjacent the washoutmain 5 and are each operable through suitable gearing by a rod 5 whichis also extended to a point within convenient reach of the operatorbetween the stalls.

The operation of the improved apparatus will be as follows 2 Alocomotive, reaching the roundhouse under its own steam for the purposeof being restored to service condition, will be run into one of thestalls and the contents of the boiler will be blown off through ahose-connection 8 between its blow-01f cock 7 and one of the drop pipes4 of main 4. This blow-0E is usually of considerably higher temperaturethan the boiling point, depending upon the steam pressure in .thelocomotive boiler. In transit to the tank 9, and at the junction of thecold 7 water supply 11 and main 4, and before the blow-off enters thetank 9, cold water will be mixed with the blow-off to reduce itstemperature to approximately 212 Fahr. The automatic regulator 12 willregulate the supply of cold water to the blow-off for this purpose. Thisoperation avoids the separation of the steam and water of the blow-ofiand consequent heat losses. From the blowoil main 4, the temperedblow-oif will be discharged in a tangential direction in the tank 9, toproduce a swirling or rotary motion which will cause the solids to bethrown to the outside of tank 9 and deposited in the channel between thedeflector 15 and the outer wall of said tank. The cleaned water willflow upwardly through the opening 14 into the chamber above the channel18 and again directed outwardly by the baffle 19 where the water will beagain cleaned. The clean water will pass from tank 9 through pipe 21.From said pipe, sufiicient Water will be directed into the tank 23. Thiswater will be clean and will be at substantial boiling temperature toadapt it for use in refilling the boiler. Refilling will be effected bythe pump 28 which will force the water from the tank 23 through pipe andmain 6 and one of the drop-pipes 6 and through a hose-connection 8 intothe boiler. This refilling operation may be effected as soon as theblow-off operation has been completed.

In some instances, it is necessary to wash out the boiler beforerefilling it with hot water at substantially 130 Fahn, as wellunderstood in the art. Some of the water flowing through pipe 21 passesthrough pipe 24 into tank 25 and sufiicient cold water is mixed withthis clean water at the junction of pipes 26 and 24 to reduce itstemperature to approximately 130, the cold water supply beingautomatically controlled vby the regulator 27 for that purpose. lVhenthe boiler is to be washed out, a suitable connection will be made withone of the drop pipes 5 and the valve 5 at the upper end of said droppipe will be opened, so that the pump 32 will force the water from thetank 25 through the washout connection. When the boiler is blown oil,which is done under pressure, the suction created by the flow of theblow-off through main t will tend to accelerate the flow of waterthrough the leak pipes 35 and 36 so that there will be an increasedcirculation of water through the refilling and washout mains, precedingthe refilling and washing operations.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since tl cse may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a lineconnected to re ceive and for conducting the entire blow-01f of waterand steam from a boiler, means for delivering cold water to saidblow-off to reduce its temperature before the water and steam have beenseparated, and means to receive and store the entire tempered blowoffand means for discharging said tempered blow-off for re-use in a boiler.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a lineconnected to receive and for conducting the entire blow-01f of water andsteam from a boiler, means for delivering cold water to said blow-oft"to reduce its temperature to substantially the boiling-point before thesteam and water of the blowoff become separated, and means -forreceiving and storing the entire tempered blow-oil for re-use in theboiler.

In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a lineconnected to receive and for conducting the entire blow-oft of water andsteam from a boiler, automatically controlled means for delivering coldwater to said blow-off to reduce its temperature to substantially theboiling point before the steam and water of the blow-off becomeseparated, and means for receiving and storing the tempered water forreuse in a boiler.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a linefor receiving and conducting the entire blow-off of water and steam froma boiler, a cleaner into which the entire blow-off is discharged, meansfor mixing cold water with the blow-oil water and steam to reduce itstemperature before the blow off steam and water are separated, and meansto receive and store the entire tempered blow-off from the cleaner forre-use in a boiler.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a linefor receiving and conducting the entire blow-oil of water and steam froma boiler, a cleaner into which the entire blow-off is discharged, meansfor mixing cold water with the blow-oil water and steam to reduce itstemperature in transit to the cleaner, and means to receive the entiretempered blow-oil from the cleaner and store it for re-use in a boiler.

JOHN O. NEIKIRK.

